Tear It Down, Build It Up Again

I guess we can go surf now. After a three-week blitz of (somewhat) organized chaos that involved the simultaneous making of three magazines (your July Issue of SURFING, an incredible photo yearbook from The Search’s Tip 2 Tip project, on newsstands May 6, and the NSSA Nationals Contenders guide), and all the fun that was the Hollywood launch of the Swimsuit Issue, we’ve been flat out: throwing papers around the office, running to and from Hollywood, surfing before and after work…just livin’.

But we’ve torn the photos from the wall for this month and now all we can do is wait for you to see the results. Meanwhile, we start papering that same wall again with new photos for the next issue. I haven’t seen my apartment much in the past month…but I like it that way.

We kicked off the new cycle with a celebration BBQ last night in Santa Barbara for a certain local boy who appears on our June Issue cover. Guess who… In other news, Dion Agius spent a weekend sleeping under my dining room table. We spoke at length on his world view and about surfing, and the dude is no slouch. Smart man, that Dion. I saw Toro y Moi at the Troubador in Hollywood, shook Tyler, the Creator’s hand (look him up if you don’t know who that is) and managed to organize two trips for Kai Neville’s Lost Atlas that will make August (when Lost Atlas is unveiled) something worth staying alive for. And I just spoke to some people about who’s playing music at the film’s premiere, and that’s just good news all around! Your summer is going to be great. As is ours.

Stopped by Patagonia headquarters to say hello on the way to Santa Barbara last night. This is the fetus of Kohl Christensen’s next gun. Photo: Taylor Paul

Today I’m leaving for Melbourne, Australia, a mere 7,918-mile jaunt from LAX. But that’s nothing when you know that upon landing you’ll head for the 50th anniversary of the Rip Curl Pro Bells — the longest running surf contest in the world. And despite certain critics of the venue, I think the Bells event is spot on. The waves in the area are fun, the climate is like Central California, and Melbourne (the San Francisco of Australia) is only an hour away. Great whites patrol and the amphitheater-style setup is amazing.

Downtime at the SURFING pad during last year’s Rip Curl Pro. This time there’ll be no Dane, but the Playboys will probably still show up. Photo: Jimmicane

While I’m down there, I’ll be doing my best to find out why Kelly and Taj, No. 1 and No. 2 in the ratings, are gallivanting around the world together like a honeymooning couple. I’ll also continue my campaign for situational music at ASP World Tour events, sink a few VB’s with Wilko, and run around Torquay with my face painted looking for the circus-themed party I attended last year with Dillon Perillo and Chas Smith. I gotta get back there. There’s also that Great Ocean Road just begging to be explored. Don’t miss me while I’m gone. —Travis Ferré